Mandate

Tradition & Transition is a five-year partnership between the Nunatsiavut Government, the self-governing body representing the Inuit of northern Labrador, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. The goal of the partnership is to strengthen both traditional Inuit knowledge and the research being conducted in Nunatsiavut to ensure the continuing vitality of Labrador Inuit culture.

The partnership is founded on equal participation by the two organizations and is meant to create a meaningful exchange of knowledge, a place where academic curiosity and the lived experience and knowledge of the Labrador Inuit meet to address the present and future needs of Nunatsiavut.

2015 marked the ten-year anniversary of Nunatsiavut achieving self-governance. It was a point of celebration, self-reflection, and a chance to look to the future of Nunatsiavut as a society. Researchers from Memorial and other universities have been collaborating with Labrador Inuit for decades across many fields. Tradition & Transition is not only a continuation of this work, but it is an evolution, as researchers take the next steps to create meaningful relationships in order to better understand Labrador Inuit identity. The research from this partnership has and will continue to not only create greater academic understanding, but will also help the Labrador Inuit to strengthen their own Indigenous self-governance.

Whether its exploring the 'deep history' of Nunatsiavut's archeological resources, or creating an Inuktitut children's book series, the main goal of the Tradition & Transition is to build lasting connections between generations of Inuit and academics working in Nunatsiavut. Elders, youth, senior researchers, and graduate students all work together under a common goal, to better understand and help strengthen Labrador Inuit culture, identity, and leadership.